Compressor unit

ABSTRACT

A compressor unit for vehicles having a motor ( 3 ) and a compressor pump ( 4 ) which is directly coupled thereto, wherein the compressor unit ( 1 ) is of watertight design and serves to feed air into a tire, and has a single composite line ( 2 ) for the supply of power and/or air and/or for the evacuation of air.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a compressor unit for vehicles having a motor and a compressor pump which is directly coupled thereto, wherein the compressor unit is of watertight design.

DE 10 2008 025 571 discloses a compressor unit, in particular for all-terrain vehicles such as off-road vehicles or rally vehicles, having a motor and a compressor pump which is directly coupled thereto. This compressor unit is of watertight design. It is disadvantageous here that various supply lines and cables have to be led out of the compressor unit. It has a compressor unit of this type, usually an extension cable and a pressure hose. The extension cable serves to supply power to the compressor unit. The pressure hose serves to inflate a defective wheel. It is disadvantageous here that various cables project from various regions of the compressor unit and instances of stumbling may occur here. Likewise, the supply of the individual cables to any possible variety of locations on the compressor unit is also problematic.

The object of the invention is to provide a compressor unit which is of operationally reliable and simple design and which provides the user with the possibility of activating the compressor unit quickly and without difficulty.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object is achieved by means of a compressor unit according to the invention is used for vehicles of all types, in particular for passenger vehicles and trucks. It has the advantage of permitting the widest possible application and a correspondingly large number of users.

The compressor unit is of watertight design. This means that a compressor pump and a motor which is directly coupled to the compressor pump are encapsulated. In this context, an air supply line, which supplies the compressor pump with air, is subsequently integrally formed onto the two components.

Furthermore, an exemplary embodiment according to the invention has a single composite line which is also integrally formed onto the compressor unit. This composite line serves to ensure that the power supply which is necessary as well as the air supply line is provided through a power supply cable and not via different access points to the compressor unit. It is advantageous here that during use the user only has to pay attention to the composite line. The composite line comprises the air supply line as well as the power supply cable.

The air supply line comprises the power supply cable either in such a form that the power supply cable is guided through the air supply line or in such a way that the power supply cable is integrally formed onto the air supply line. The advantage is that the power supply cable and the air supply line are handled more easily, because they are handled in a combined way.

In an exemplary embodiment according to the invention, the air supply line has at least one opening for supplying the compressor pump with air. The fact that owing to the air supply line the opening can be above a water line even if the compressor and the motor are below the water line is advantageous here.

An exemplary embodiment according to the invention has a flexible composite line—flexible in this context is to be understood as meaning elastic, deformable, articulated or bendable. It is advantageously possible here to put away the compressor unit in the most space-saving way possible and to obtain the highest possible degree of user-friendly adaptability during use, that is to say when activating the compressor unit.

An exemplary embodiment according to the invention also has an inflation line which is either also guided in the air supply line or is embodied integrally formed onto the air supply line as part of the composite line.

The power supply cable and the inflation line can be integrally formed onto the entirety of the outer face of the air supply line, or at least partially, either with interruptions or only as far as a defined location. It is also possible to integrally form the power supply cable or the inflation line completely or with interruptions in or on the inner face of the power supply line.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The single FIGURE shows a side view, illustrated in sectional form, of a compressor unit according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Firstly, said FIGURE shows a compressor unit 1. The compressor unit 1 comprises a composite line 2, as well as a motor 3 and a compressor pump 4.

The composite line 2 comprises a power supply cable 5 and an air supply line 6. The power supply cable 5 is guided here in the air supply line 6.

The power supply cable also has a connecting element 7 which projects out of an opening 8 in the air supply line 6.

This connecting element serves to form the power connection of the compressor unit to a power source (not shown).

Furthermore, an inflation line 9 projects out of the opening 8. This inflation line 9 is connected to the compressor pump 4 and has a valve element 10, which can be connected to a tire valve (not shown), in order to feed air from the compressor pump 4 into a tire. 

1-8. (canceled)
 9. Compressor unit for a vehicle comprising: a motor (3) and a compressor pump (4) directly coupled thereto, wherein the compressor unit (1) is of watertight design and serves to feed air into a tire of a vehicle by a single composite line (2) for the supply of power and/or air and/or for the evacuation of air.
 10. Compressor unit according to claim 9, wherein the single composite line (2) comprises a power supply cable (5).
 11. Compressor unit according to claim 10, wherein the single composite line (2) comprises an air supply line (6) with an opening (8), suitable for drawing in air.
 12. Compressor unit according to claim 11, wherein the single composite line (2) comprises an inflation line (9).
 13. Compressor unit according to claim 12, wherein the air supply line (6) is suitable for accommodating and guiding the power supply cable (5) or the inflation line (9).
 14. Compressor unit according to claim 12, wherein the power supply cable or the inflation line are at least partially integrally formed onto the air supply line.
 15. Compressor unit according to claim 13, wherein the single composite line (2) is of flexible design.
 16. Compressor unit according to claim 12, wherein the inflation line (9) has a valve element (10). 